NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter made history by achieving the first powered, controlled flight on another planet on April 19, 2021. Despite initial plans for up to five flights, the helicopter has exceeded expectations and executed an impressive 72 flights on Mars. While Ingenuity remains upright and in communication with ground controllers, imagery of its January 18, 2024 flight indicates one or more of its rotor blades sustained damage during landing, and it is no longer capable of flight.
“The historic journey of Ingenuity, the first aircraft on another planet, has come to end,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.
“That remarkable helicopter flew higher and farther than we ever imagined and helped NASA do what we do best — make the impossible, possible.”
“Through missions like Ingenuity, NASA is paving the way for future flight in our Solar System and smarter, safer human exploration to Mars and beyond.”
Ingenuity landed on Mars February 18, 2021, attached to the belly of NASA’s Perseverance rover and first lifted off the Martian surface on April 19, proving that powered, controlled flight on Mars was possible.
After notching another four flights, it embarked on a new mission as an operations demonstration, serving as an aerial scout for Perseverance scientists and rover drivers.
In 2023, the helicopter executed two successful flight tests that further expanded the team’s knowledge of its aerodynamic limits.
“Ingenuity is an exemplar of the way we push the boundaries of what’s possible every day,” said Dr. Laurie Leshin, director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
“I’m incredibly proud of our team behind this historic technological achievement and eager to see what they’ll invent next.”
Ingenuity’s team planned for the helicopter to make a short vertical flight on January 18, 2024 to determine its location after executing an emergency landing on its previous…
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